There is no more pressing issue for America than current US foreign policy in the Middle East. This part of the world has been a source of conflict for centuries. The issues are complex and difficult. Unlike domestic policy issues, there are no clear partisan divisions. However, the fear of terrorism is sometimes used as a political wedge issue.
The sheer number of conflicts, civil wars, religious and cultural differences makes finding solutions almost impossible. It is not as if these are new conflicts that American political leaders are unfamiliar with. This region has been a source of trouble for centuries. The fact that American Christian and Jews are strong supporters of Israel have turned it into a domestic political issue.
A primary source of the battles is the long conflict between the Shia and Sunni offshoots of the Islamic religion. The battle between the two major branches of Islam is similar to the historic conflict between the Catholic religion and Protestant branches of Christianity. While on the surface it may appear that this is a religious conflict, in reality the cause of the conflict is cultural and political.
The struggle between Israel and the Palestinian people has been going on since Israel became a Jewish state in 1948. There are powerful political interest groups in the United States that are pro Israel. Both Jewish and Evangelical Christian voting blocks have exerted influence on politicians to support Israel in this long and bitter struggle. Only limited progress has been made to long lasting peace between Israel and Palestinians.
Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States has been fighting a war on terrorism around the globe. The attacks of 9/11 have had a powerful effect on American international policies. While the United States has destroyed the leadership of al-Qaeda, there are still threats from radical Islamic revolutionary forces. The governments of Egypt and Libya have been overthrown. Islamic extremists can potentially replace governments that, even though authoritarian and corrupt, were friendly to the United States.
The controversial invasion of Iraq created consequences that are still reverberating throughout the region. Many critics believe this was an unnecessary war based on lies and deceit. History will tell us more, but the war did tip the balance of power to Iran. Since Iran is not a friendly country with the United States, the net effect of the Iraq war may be negative in the final analysis.
The war in Iraq changed the power of balance between Iraq and Iran, who are traditionally bitter rivals. The United States has had difficult relations with Iran since the hostage crisis during the Carter administration. While a terrible dictator was removed from power in Iraq, Iran was elevated in power in the region. History will have to judge the long term effects of intervening in Iraq, but at this point it seems that the war in Iraq was a mistake.
Current US foreign policy in the Middle East is among the most important issues facing the nation. If these problems were simple, they would have been solved long ago. Unfortunately, the problems are extremely complex. The history is a long one, going back centuries, and involving religious, cultural, and political issues. The solution to these problems are made more complicated when domestic politics enters the picture.
The sheer number of conflicts, civil wars, religious and cultural differences makes finding solutions almost impossible. It is not as if these are new conflicts that American political leaders are unfamiliar with. This region has been a source of trouble for centuries. The fact that American Christian and Jews are strong supporters of Israel have turned it into a domestic political issue.
A primary source of the battles is the long conflict between the Shia and Sunni offshoots of the Islamic religion. The battle between the two major branches of Islam is similar to the historic conflict between the Catholic religion and Protestant branches of Christianity. While on the surface it may appear that this is a religious conflict, in reality the cause of the conflict is cultural and political.
The struggle between Israel and the Palestinian people has been going on since Israel became a Jewish state in 1948. There are powerful political interest groups in the United States that are pro Israel. Both Jewish and Evangelical Christian voting blocks have exerted influence on politicians to support Israel in this long and bitter struggle. Only limited progress has been made to long lasting peace between Israel and Palestinians.
Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States has been fighting a war on terrorism around the globe. The attacks of 9/11 have had a powerful effect on American international policies. While the United States has destroyed the leadership of al-Qaeda, there are still threats from radical Islamic revolutionary forces. The governments of Egypt and Libya have been overthrown. Islamic extremists can potentially replace governments that, even though authoritarian and corrupt, were friendly to the United States.
The controversial invasion of Iraq created consequences that are still reverberating throughout the region. Many critics believe this was an unnecessary war based on lies and deceit. History will tell us more, but the war did tip the balance of power to Iran. Since Iran is not a friendly country with the United States, the net effect of the Iraq war may be negative in the final analysis.
The war in Iraq changed the power of balance between Iraq and Iran, who are traditionally bitter rivals. The United States has had difficult relations with Iran since the hostage crisis during the Carter administration. While a terrible dictator was removed from power in Iraq, Iran was elevated in power in the region. History will have to judge the long term effects of intervening in Iraq, but at this point it seems that the war in Iraq was a mistake.
Current US foreign policy in the Middle East is among the most important issues facing the nation. If these problems were simple, they would have been solved long ago. Unfortunately, the problems are extremely complex. The history is a long one, going back centuries, and involving religious, cultural, and political issues. The solution to these problems are made more complicated when domestic politics enters the picture.
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